Happy Independence Day Weekend!!!

Hope you and yours have a glorious weekend celebrating all the wonderful blessings we have in this great nation. We'll be celebrating with Brianna's family tonight. No doubt it will be a great time! Tomorrow morning, the 5K run will pass in front of our house as we play patriotic music and cheer people of all ages (especially our friend, Jennifer taking part this year!) Tom has nearly 50 small flags decorating our front yard. = ) Tomorrow night, we'll watch our city's annual fireworks display. Always an impressive show.

I've been busy in the kitchen today, making desserts for tonight. I'm going to share two of them with you! First...a long-time family favorite, Banana Split Cake!

Although it's name suggests "cake," there is absolutely no baking involved in making this little treat. It's a graham cracker crust, covered by a layer of creamy (or more appropriately.... "dreamy") deliciousness, fruit, whipped cream, maraschino cherries and today, (in honor of 4th of July) blue sprinkles! I received this recipe from a co-worker many years ago. It's always a hit! (Particularly during the summer when you may not want to use your oven.)

Crust:
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 stick of margarine, melted

"Cake"
2 cups confectioner's sugar
2 eggs
3-4 bananas (peeled, sliced and spritzed with lemon juice or Sprite)
1 can (13 oz) crushed pineapple (drained)
Large bowl - Cool Whip
2 sticks of margarine, softened
maraschino cherries, drained (optional)
nuts, crushed (optional)

Combine graham cracker crumbs and melted butter. Spread into 9 x 13 pan and refrigerate. In a separate bowl, combine eggs, confectioner's sugar and 2 sticks of softened margarine, beat at a high speed for 15 minutes (this is not a typo). Pour this mixture over the crust. Slice bananas and layer on top (remember to spritz them with Sprite or lemon juice so they don't brown). Then, using a fork, gently place crushed pineapple over the entire layer. Cover this layer with Cool Whip. If desired, sprinkle with finely chopped nuts of your choice. (I usually offer them separately as I cut each serving, instead.) Garnish with maraschino cherries. Refrigerate. Serves 12-15. (Tastes best if it can sit for several hours.) Enjoy!!!

If you're looking for something a little more low-fat, try this one...Weight Watchers Crustless Strawberry Pie! Loaded with flavor and couldn't be simpler to make. Best of all, only 1 point per slice!!! = )

(photo courtesy of Google Images)

4 cups strawberries, sliced
1 small box, vanilla cook & serve pudding (not instant)
2 cups water
1 small box of sugar-free strawberry gelatin

Pour strawberries into pie plate (deep dish works best), set aside. On the stove, combine the pudding and water. Stir occassionally while heating. When mixture comes to a boil, remove from heat and pour in the strawberry gelatin (powder). Stir with a wisk so that all the gelatin dissolves. Let cool to room temperature, then pour over strawberries. It's that simple!!! (Truly, this is a huge payoff for minimal effort.) Refrigerate for several hours or even better, overnight. Serve with Cool Whip, if desired. Of course, you could also use a pie shell or graham cracker crust. We like it just as well without it (and it helps keep it very lowfat, too!) Enjoy!!!

I'd love to hear if you try either of these recipes...either this weekend or anytime!

Once again, Happy 4th of July, everyone! Have a wonderful time celebrating with family and friends, reflecting on the joys and amazing privileges of being an American! Stay safe!